USCCB - (Office of Media Relations) - Bishop To Meet With Florida Farmworkers

Bishop To Meet With Florida Farmworkers

WASHINGTON (October 22, 2004) – Bishop John R. Manz will travel October 31 to November 4 throughout South Florida ministering to the needs of migrant farmworkers and hearing firsthand about the hardships they face in their work, made especially difficult this year following the four hurricanes which damaged the state.

The auxiliary bishop of Chicago, who serves as the liaison to the farmworker apostolate on behalf of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Migration Committee, will meet with farmworkers, local migrant ministry leaders, and government officials. His report to the full committee will guide the committee's future outreach and advocacy on behalf of migrant workers.

Bishop Manz's agenda follows. All events listed are open to the media:

Sunday October 31

1:30 - 2:30 pm Homestead area. Tour area with members of local community organizations and media.

3:00 - 5:00 pm Mass at 3:00 pm at St. Ann's Mission (13875 SE 264^th St., Naranja); followed by pot-luck reception. Miami Archbishop John Favalora, principal celebrant. Bishop Manz, homilist.

Monday, November 1

10 am-11:30 (approx.) Lake Okeechobee area: Visit St. Mary Parish, Pahokee, then visit a workers' camp with Rev. José Santa Bibiana, pastor of St. Philip Benizi Church (710 S. Main Street, Belle Glade).

1:00-2:00 pm Indiantown. Holy Cross Church (15972 SW 150^th St., Indiantown). Celebrate All Saints Day Mass with children and teachers of Hope Rural School and those involved in ministry to the farmworker community.

7:00 -9:00 pm Volusia County: All Souls' Day vigil Mass at San José Mission (165 Emporia Road, Barberville). Orlando Coadjutor Bishop Thomas Wenski (Chairman, USCCB Migration Committee) concelebrating. Farmworkers and farmworker ministry staff from Crescent City (Diocese of St. Augustine) will join. Dinner reception after Mass, on the church grounds, coordinated by The Farmworker Association of FL.

Tuesday, November 2

8:00 - 11:00 am Apopka: Blessings in the fields. (Traditional Day of the Dead ritual, for nursery workers.) Meet at Office of Farmworker Ministry, 815 S. Park Ave., Apopka.

3:00-6:00 pm Hillsborough County: Walking tour San José Mission in Dover (3:00-3:45) followed by 4:00 p.m. Mass at the Mission, with Day of the Dead liturgy and commemoration. Principal Celebrant and homilist, Bishop Manz. Bishop Robert Lynch of St. Petersburg concelebrating. Reception follows.

Wednesday, November 3

2:00-3:30 pm Immokalee: Welcome from Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) and presentation about their work.

3:30-5:00 pm CIW provides tour of Immokalee farmworking community.

5:00 - 5:30pm Visit CIW's multi-lingual community radio station, blessing of new community center.

5:40-7:00 pm Dinner at Sanders Hall at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church hosted by Guadalupe Social Services and The Farmworker Association of Florida.

7:15-8:00 pm Weekly community meeting of CIW.

8:00-9:00 pm Mass concelebrated with Bishop Priamo Tejeda (retired bishop of Baní, Dominican Republic) for the entire Immokalee community, at CIW headquarters.

Thursday, November 4

6:00 am (tentative) Observe the labor market at the central lot in Immokalee.

10:00-10:30 am News conference with Bishop Manz. At Resurrection of Our Lord Parish Center (8121 Cyprus Lake Dr, Ft. Myers).

For more information on Bishop Manz's schedule, or to arrange interviews, contact Nancy Powers, Florida Catholic Conference, 850-220-3803, ext. 101, or npowers@flacathconf.org. From Oct. 30 through Nov. 4, contact Ms. Powers at 850-445-1111 (cell).